Improvement in velocipede



J. REINHART.'-

A Velocipede.A

' Patemedfeb. 23,1869.

'dilated 0% JOHN REINHART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO A. CHRISTIAN.

Lacets Putative. 87,290, daad February 23, 1869.

.IMPROVEMENT nv vELoerPnDn.

The Schedule referred to in 'these Letters Patent and making part of the sama.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN REnvnART, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Velocipedes; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specilication.

This invention relates to an improved mechanism for operating the axleof' the driving-wheels of a velocipede.

The invention consists in the combination, with the axle of the driving-wheels of a velocipede, orsimilar vehicle, of a pitman connected to the crank, a link, or connecting-rod, two rock-shafts, and two actuatinglevers, or handles, whereby the liability of a deadpoint occurring is entirely obviated, and a means for easily propelling a velocipede with great rapidity is obtained. In the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a velocipede, showingmy invention applied thereto.

4Figure2 is an inverted perspective view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both figures.

A B designate the body of a velocipede, the part A being supported by the axle O of the driving-wheels D, (Qnly one being shown,) and the part B by a front or steering-wheel or wheels E.

In theexample shown in the drawing there is a seat mounted upon braces B' B', (see lig. 2,) whose lower.

ends form the bearings for the axle 0and the part A, to which the seat B is also secured, is pivoted to ablock, F, (shown-as ofthe shape of a horses head and shoulders,) which has arms a a extending downward, between which the steering-wheel Edsaxled.

A pin or pins, b b, projecting from the arms a a, serve as a rest for thefeet when guiding the steering-wheel I will here remark that the velocipede may be of any suitable construction. My improvement relates to the mechanism by which theAdriving-wheels are operated, and hence may be applied to velocipedes, or like vehicles, of Various constructions.

The axle O carries a crank, c, to which is secured aA pitman, G. l

H [are two rock-shafts secured to the body of the velocipede, and each rock-shaft carries a bent end, h j, as will be seen by reference to fig. 2.

J K are the handles or operating-levers, formed with or secured to the outer ends of the rock-shafts H I.

' The bent end, h,.o` the sha H, is pivoted to the pitman G, and .the bent end, i, of the shaft I, is pivoted to one end of' 'a link', or connecting-rod, L, the other en d of the latterbeing pivoted to the pitman G.

By reference to g. 1, it will be observed that when the pitman is in a nearly horizontal position, the lever -T will have no power to overcome the dead-point. This, however, is readily overcome by operating the lever K, as the bent end of the shaft I, by means of the connecting-link L, depresses or raises the pitman, and hence continues the rotation of the driving-axle and, on the other hand, when the crank is in a vertical position, parallel, or nearly so, with the link L, as

vshown in red outline in fig.l2,' there will bea deadpoint, which the lever` K does not overcome, but which can be readily overcome by operating the other* lever, J. So, therefore, by operating both levers, no deadpoint can -at any time occur.

What I claim as my invention, and desire tolsecure by 'Letters Patent, is-

An operating-device fora velocipede, or like-plcpelled vehicle, consisting ofthe combination, with the axle of the driving-wheels thereof, of a pitman connected to the crank, a link, or connecting-rod, two\rockshafts, with angular ends, and two actuating-levers or handles, all arranged and operating substantially as herein specified.

Witnesses: JOHN REINHART.

JAMES MCGILL, JOHN K. Hnwms. 

